Dialogue - this is what? Dialogue: meaning, forms, views and examples

The concept of "dialogue" has become firmly established in our life. We, when we say this word, do not even think about its true meaning.

Dialogue is a complex instrument

The meaning of the word "dialogue" in Latin is the conversation of two. But this, if I may say so, is the simplest interpretation of the definition. In a high sense, dialogue is the opposition to the monologue. In former times, this tool was used especially often in such complicated and complicated things as philosophy, rhetoric, logic, sophistry. The goal pursued by the dialogue is a maximally understandable message to the listener of an idea, which has been considered from several points of view. From them, in the end, either the most precise wording will be chosen, or a general one, corresponding to the author's position, will be derived. Here, in general, this is the meaning of the dialogue. Punctuation marks for the dialogue are easy to remember: each replica starts with a new line, and before it is dashed.

Multiple Simplification

For a long time the dialogue remained to live only in the simplest interpretation, that is, it was just communication. And the first use of it as a genre, as a philosophical and literary tool took place several thousand years before our era. By the way, now it is just noted the return of dialogue to serious spheres of art after several centuries of oblivion.

Wise Asia

Being still in the majority of European civilization, we, from the point of view of Europe, talk about the dialogue and we will. However, it is wrong not to mention that in the East this instrument of literature and the concept also exist for a very long time. And we are talking about a high interpretation of this type of communication. The first material references to the use of dialogue in the philosophical sense in the Middle East and in Asia date back to the second century BC. This instrument is actively used in the hymns of the Rig Veda and in the Mahabharata. In general, we can say that understanding, in a high sense, dialogue is the same for the East and West.

Plato follower

The first use of dialogue in philosophy and literature is usually attributed to Plato. It is understood that this ancient Greek philosopher systematized and made of this instrument an independent literary form. As a point of reference, it is considered to be his experiments in the early work "Lahet". However, Plato is not at all a founder, but a follower, as he himself writes in some of his works. Approximately half a century before, this instrument was used by the Sicilian poets Sofron and Epiharm. And so skillfully that they made an indelible impression on Plato, and in his first works he tried to imitate these masters.

Forgotten Teachers

To our day, unfortunately, the work of these two authors have not reached, so you can only make assumptions about their strength, if they so impressed Plato. By the way, there is reason to believe that there were a number of other figures, besides the above, who used the dialogue as a method. But the history, unfortunately, has not preserved even their names.

Comprehensive student

In Plato's works, dialogue is a very strong philosophical and literary element. But at the same time the author simplified the concept itself. The fact is that in his works he used only argumentation, while his teachers were no less important than the mimic component. For some reason, the ancient Greek philosopher almost refused it, and his followers eventually stopped using it altogether. More or less to understand what a dialogue was originally and what meaning it was in the definition of its "inventors", it is still possible.

The first followers

After Plato's death, many of his followers appeared not only in philosophy, but also in literature. One of them was Lukian from the Self. The works of this author were distinguished for their rare irony, and at the same time the seriousness of the topics covered. On the gods, about death, about courtesans and love, about philosophy, finally, just about the world around him, wrote in his works, this ancient Greek poet, who lived in the second century of our era. And for some of his creations he had to pay, it was painfully caustic they were. Dialogue was a favorite genre of "smart" literature until the XII century.

Forgotten tool

Fashion is a changeable thing, even if we are talking about "smart" literature and philosophy. Such authors as Bonaventura and Thomas Aquinas threw off the pedestal dialogue as a literary form, replacing it with sums. Serious authors in the next five millennia mostly denounced their thoughts, proofs and reflections in them. In sums, the studied object was viewed from all possible points of view, analyzed it, sometimes giving encyclopedic data. The problem is that the dynamics and ease of understanding of the dialogue from these creations have disappeared. The formation of the sum as the main genre of philosophy largely explains the "darkness" of the Middle Ages. In order to understand the complex processes of life and death, to learn what the great sages think of them, it was necessary to have a huge amount of knowledge, access to which was limited by this format. The simplicity and intelligibility of the dialogues was lost.

Triumphant return

The era of the Renaissance and modern times brought the dialogue back as a genre to its rightful place. Notable and important works begin to appear in the late XVII - early XVIII century. The thirst for knowledge and the desire to bring our thoughts to the greatest possible number of people again makes this genre popular with philosophers, theologians, writers, even musicologists will join them. Dialogues are written by such figures as Fontenelle and Fenelon, their works of the same name, in fact, gave impetus to the new popularity of this genre. In the wake of the new fashion, Italian authors decided to go even further - they build their works in the image and likeness of Platonic treatises, sometimes completely copying them, of course, adding their own thoughts. His dialogues in Italy have been written by such celebrities as Galileo, Tasso and Leopardi.

New time, revolution and forgetfulness

Industrial revolution, which began during the next peak of the popularity of dialogues, plunged it into another abyss of oblivion. Life is so accelerated that there is simply no time for extensive intelligent conversations. "Speak clearly and in essence!" - this is the main motto of the industrial revolution. Of course, with this approach, the dialogues once again equated to the usual conversation. New time has created a direct relationship between word and deed. But only the ideological component, which was present in the works of Plato, disappeared without a trace. Dialogues are not a way to explain and understand something, but a call to action, simply a means of communication.

Swift XX century

With the end of modern times, the newest has come. This is perhaps the most terrible, fastest and bloodiest period in the history of mankind. There was almost no time for reflection, wars were replaced one by one, just like revolutions. The prerequisites for the return of dialogue as a serious genre were simply absent. It can not be said that it was in absolute oblivion, it was used, but only a few.

"The Return" of Plato and Socrates

Rare writers, experimenting with dialogues, most often used as their interlocutors precisely these ancient Greek philosophers. It was quite often. As a result, even a new subset of this literary technique was formed, called "Platonic dialogue".

Russia and the concept of

It so happened that when we talked about dialogue as a concept and genre, we did not touch Russia at all. The fact is that in our country this tool, in fact, has never lost popularity. There have always been writers in this genre. Moreover, it was the native philosopher, literary critic and theorist of European culture and art Mikhail Bakhtin who was finally able to give a full definition of the concept of "dialogue". Examples for research he found in the works of Dostoevsky. As a result, Mikhail Mikhailovich made certain conclusions. In particular, Bakhtin defined the forms of dialogue. There are only two of them. The first type is comprehensive. In this case, the instrument is viewed as a kind of universal reality, which is necessary for the full formation of the personality. The second type is a direct dialogue. In this case, an event is meant - communication of a person.

Modernity

By the end of the twentieth century, dialogue has become the main instrument of our lives. This is due to the fact that humanity in the midst of the Cold War, which threatened complete destruction, could stop and think about its future. This was the impetus for the return of this genre. Moreover, today dialogues are no longer just an instrument of philosophers, writers and other scientists, it is a whole social institution. Pedagogy does not think itself without a conversation between the teacher and the student, politics can not do without this form of communication either. Pay attention, many international organizations, designed to solve the problems of mankind, have this word in the title. For example, "Dialogue of civil society". Moreover, finally appreciating all the charm and possibilities of this tool in the process of exchanging one's own unique vision of the world, people began to distinguish between special types of dialogues: equitable, structured, controversial and confrontational. And each of them people use to the maximum to reach a consensus on a variety of issues or to inform the world of their own point of view.

Dialogues - the road to the future

Today, contrary to the desire of some to return communication to the level of monologues, "communication between two" is developing more and more. Humanity has finally realized all the strength and potential of dialogues in a high sense, has learned the lessons of history, which show us that it is necessary to come to the dictatorship of one voice, as the "dark time" comes. I want to believe that communication, during which all points of view are heard, will continue to develop further, only this way will lead humanity to prosperity.